Stove Building Regulations - doc J

Building Regulations that apply to stoves

The following pages are a brief description of the building regulations that apply to chimneys, flues and stoves. They are not intended to be a complete explanation and if in doubt reference should be made to 'The Building Regulations 2000 Approved Document J Combustion Appliances and Fuel Storage Systems 2010 Edition' or the building control department of your local council.

Please note that Document J was updated as of October 1st 2010. The big changes are that a CO Alarm is now a requirement, the recommendations covering room ventilation have been altered and added to, Defra Exempt stoves can now be connected to a 125mm chimney if they have a 125mm outlet, pellet stoves can be connected to 100mm chimney as long as the chimney is of the right type.

Approved Document J of The Building Regulations stipulates that any work that affects an existing chimney (ie fitting a new stove or liner) or creating a new chimney now comes under building control.

An existing chimney or a new flue or chimney installation must be given a visual inspection to check that it is in good order, clear of obstructions and is of a suitable size and type for the appliance you plan to install. It may be necessary to sweep the flue (which should always be done anyway before fitting a stove or lining a chimney) and also, if necessary, to do a smoke test to check for gas tightness.